Arizona weekly enterprise., 1887-06-04
IRRIGATING CANALS.
How the Florence Farlns Flour
 tsh HI Dry Times.

Florence is picturesquely situated among the finest farming lands that were ever created, in the valley of the Gila river. From ten miles above the town, to an indefinite distance below 1t, the valley is broad and fertile, with abun- dant water for irrigation. There are green fields of grass and golden grain; pretty homes nestling among the great trees and half hidden with vines and bril- liant flowers, where one meets with ever- changing glimpses of rural scenery that are in cheerful contrast to the desola- tinn of the unwatered tracts Even tka streets of Florence are supplied with coh- tinuous streams of running water upon either side, and the precious liquid is used with prodigal hand, that IS a stran- ger to economy It is safe to say that the duty of the water now supplied by the various private and corporation ditch es could be easily doubled with fair ex- ercise of economy in its use and manage ment.
 In and about Florence, from few miles above to short distance below the
  | irrigating ditches now in use, all of them being north of the Florence canal now under construction. They are capa- ble of irrigating nearly, if not quite, 30, : 900 acres of land by the flooding system, or five times that quantity by sub-irriga- tion.
 The Brash ditch is taken from the Gila a mile or two below the Buttes, and is five miles in length. It is south of the Florence canal and irrigates about 1900 acres in Round Valley.
 1 The Montezuma ditch Is the first one north of the Florence canal. It is now completed for distance ot six miles and is to be built six miles further. It is the property of an incorporated company and irrigates 5000 acres of land.
 The next is Pat Hollands ditch, which is seven miles long and irrigates about 5000 acres of land.
 The fourth is the Alamo Amarillo, owned by an incorporated company It is seven miles long and while it irrigates but 6000 acres it is capable of supplying 10000 acres.
 Next in order is the Brady ditch This acequia is but four miles long and irrigates about 5000 acres with its branch es. This ditch also furnishes the water power for Mir. Brady's Touring mill.
 The next is the Adamsville ditch, the property of the Charouleau brothers. Il is four miles long and irrfgates 130( acres. The nearest one to the river Is tht Walker ditch; it is five niles- -lonn aAc irrigates 1,5O0 acres.
 The river bed at Florence carries flow ing water for eight months in the yea and IS dry only during the summe months when the water is low and the 1T rigating ditches carry full heads.
 Beyond the river, on the north side the first ditch is Tom McClellan's. I irrigates between 600 and 700 acres, bu is capable of far greater duty.
 Then comes the Sharp and Verno, ditch, three miles long, which irrigate 300 acres.
 Next comes the Stiles ditch, which l five miles long and irrigates 800 acres. The last is the Spinas brothers ditch four miles long, by which they have re claimed two sections of desert land witt plenty of water to irrigate even nor land.
 These ten ditches flow full of wate constantly ard, as before stated, they 1T rigate nearly 3G,OOO acres of as choic farming lands as the sun shines upon Not only does the water irrigate, but i brings down fine sediment of rare fer tilizing qualities that keeps the land en riched even where two or three crops pc | year are produced.
 :, With these facilities for irrigating added to those the great canal will fur , nish, there is nothing short of alvin interposition in the shape of direful ca lamity that can stay the flood of progres and enterprise for this favored section 0 the footstool.